Fastening device



June 7, 1932. 1.. H. LEE 1,862,152

- FASTENING DEVICE Filed May 6. 1930 a 1 2b 5 5 he 5 1 F1 1 Sir/z INVENTOR AM A; div

Patented June 7, 1 932 UNITED STATES- PATENT OFFICE LEFFMAN H. LEE, or BELLEVUE, PENNSYLVANIA, AssIeNoR or ONE-SIXTH 'ro WIL LIAM B. WHARTON' AND ONE-SIXTH 'ro JAMES M. GUTHRIE, BOTH or PITTSBURGH,

PENNSYLVANIA.

Application filed May 6,

their frame structures erected of fabricated steel beams, joists, etc. In the construction of such buildings wooden ground strips are secured to the steel frame members, and to the ground strips, base-boards or other finishing materials are attached. Plaster boards or other types of wall-forming material are either directly secured to the steel frame members, or to the ground boards which have been first attached to the steel frame members. It is unnecessary to recite the many fixtures and structural parts of the building which must be secured to the structural steel, suffice it to say that before my invention no adequate device was known which would permit the expeditious nailing or screwing of structural material or fixtures 20' immediately to steel frame members. The fabricated steel members now commonly used are provided with perforations for the convenient insertion of one or another of the old, unsatisfactory clamps or clips'which 25- where employed as means for fastening construction material to the steel parts, and herein I shall describe a novel cup member which is adapted to be installed in one of these perforations, and when so installed to receive and secure within the steel members a plug of nailable' material,thereupon affording means which permit the quick fastening of fixtures directly to the steel, either with screws or driven nails.

My present invention is directed to the 7 structure of the plug-receiving member or cup, and concerns especially a plug-receiving member which is so particularly formed as to provide efficient means for preventing its Withdrawal, once it has been installed in one of the perforations of a steel frame member. In Fig. I of the accompanying drawing is shown fragmentarily an elevation of a typical structural steel frame member, and in one of the perforations thereof there appears in top elevation the device of my invention. Fig. II is an end view of the steel frame member, showing in side elevation the plug-securing member. Fig. III is a view in longitudinal section, and to larger scale, through the FASTENING DEVICE 1930. Serial No. 450,144.

prises a metallic member which is adapted to be inserted in one ofthe usual orifices with which steel frame members (as mentioned above) are provided, and to receive and secure permanently a plug of nailable material in such orifice. In the drawing the reference numeral 1 is applied to a typical form of steel frame member-a structural anglee, and in one of the orifices 2 a plug-receiving member 3 is installed. The member 3 is adapted to secure in the orifice 2. through which it extends a core or plug 4 of nailable material, such, for example, as wood, hemp, or any material or composition which has capacity of holding a screw or driven nail. As appears to larger scale in Fig. IIIthe plug-receiving member 3 is formed with means for limiting the extent of its insertion in the orifice 2; such means comprising, con veniently, the flange 5which abuts or over lies the outer periphery 2a of the orifice. In the wallof the plug-receiving member an indentation is impressed (such indentation advantageously is in the form. of an annular groove 6) which, as will presently appear, is a feature of my invention. The material of which the plug-receiving 'memb'er is,

is formed should be, and in fact is, such that," upon driving the plug 4 from its position in]. Fig. III into its permanent location within i I said member (Fig. IV), the. metal which 7 forms the wall of the indentation 6 may move downwardly and outwardly, to form a latching shoulder 7. Manifestly, such latching provides a positive locking of the member 3 in the angle 1. By forming the member 3 of a somewhat ductile metal, the portion of the member 3 which remains within the orificev 2 expands (upon the powerful insertion of the plug 4) into tight engagement with the wall of the orifice, and such expansionin itself has been found tobe a desirablecharacteristic of my device. In fact, to enhance this expansion, I contemplate slitting the flange and wall of the member, as indi cated at 8. When the cup is so slit, of course,

the ductility of the material of which the plug-receiving. member is formed need not be as great as it would otherwise have to be;

fixturesfimm'ediately to the steel, the na 1l- With the device so assembled (Fig. IV), in the steel member 1 it possible to nail or screw ground-boards, or other structural able plug'4 readily receivingand holding the driven nail or screw.

The modified plug-securing member 3a (Fig. V) is provlded' with a plurality of grooves or serrations 9, which grooves, al-

though I now believe are not as effective as Y the structure above described, are to be con.

sidered within the scope of my invention. Knurling the wall of the plug-receiving member benea'thits flange 5 may also be found 1. In a' -device topermit the nailing or screwing of construction material'to a steel frame member which is provided with an orifice, the combination of a plug-receiving member adapted to be inserted insaidorifice,

a nailable' plug adapted to be permanently insertedin said plug-receiving member, said v plug-receivingmember being formed with an indentation in its wall which is adapted upon the insertion ofthe plug to cause the-wall. of saidmember to bulge outward over the peripheraledge of said orifice.

2. The structure of the next preceding claim inwhich said indentation comprises an annular groove.

3; In. a device to permit the nailing or screwing'of construction material to a steel frame member which is provided with an orifice, the combination of a plug-receiving member adapted to be inserted in said orifice and 'providedwith means for limiting. the extentof'such insertion,- a nailable plug adapted to be permanently inserted in said plugreceiving member, said plug-receiving mem ber including meansfor limiting the extent of insertion of. said nailable plug-there I my hand.

into, and an indentation in the wall of said last-mentioned member "which is adapted upon the insertion of said plug to cause the wall of said member to bulge outward'over the peripheral edge of said orifice.

4. In a device to permit thenailing or screwing of construction material to a steel frame member which is provided with an orifice,'the combination of a plug-receiving member adaptedtobe inserted in saidorifice and provided at one terminal with means which upon the insertion of the plug-receiving member of said orifice, abuts the outer peripheral edge of said orifice, said plug-receiv'ing member having capacity of expansibility in atlea-st so much of itsextent as-lies withinsaid orifice, a-nd a nailable plugadapt-' ed tobe permanently inserted inlsaid pluge,

receiving membenmeans. included in the lastmentioned member for. limiting; the extentof such insertion of saidnailable plug, and an indentation in the wall of{saidplug-receiving; member which is adapted uponthe insertion.

of said plug to cause; the wall of said member to bulge outward overthe peripheraledge of' said orifice; I

In testimony whereof I have-hereuntoset 

